Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), a vital support system for pregnant women and newborns, is being implemented effectively across the district. Under this scheme, all services,from delivery to discharge are provided completely free of cost at government health institutions, offering major relief to families who otherwise avoid treatment due to financial constraints.
Implemented as per Central Government guidelines, the programme provides free services to pregnant women of all categories at government health facilities. These include normal and caesarean deliveries, essential medicines and consumables, laboratory investigations, free post-delivery meals, and free blood transfusion when required.
A key component of the scheme is the free ambulance service available on the toll-free number 102. This service ensures transport from home to hospital, from one government hospital to another if needed, and from hospital back home after delivery. A total of 79 ambulances are operational in the district for this purpose.
Between April and November, the district recorded 9,196 institutional deliveries, of which 84 per cent of mothers availed free transport from home to hospital. Additionally, 93 per cent of mothers were provided direct transport back home after discharge. The scheme also covers free treatment, medicines, diagnostic tests, blood transfusion, and transport for sick newborns aged 0 to 1 year. During this period, 504 infants received treatment under the programme.
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Programme has ensured quality healthcare services at no cost for needy families in both rural and urban areas and has proven effective in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, the Zilla Parishad Health Department stated. District health officer Dr Abhay Dhanorkar appealed to all pregnant women and parents of newborns in the district to avail the benefits of the scheme by calling the toll-free number 102.